Injection mold for plastic materials



O clt. `10, 1950' B. s. 'rHoMAs 2,524,858

INJECTION MOLD FOR PLASTIC MATERIALS Oct. 10, 1950 i B. s. THoMAs 2,524,858

I -f INJECTION MOLD FOR PLASTIC MATERIALS Filed Nov. 3, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M VM y Oct. 1Y0,l 1950` B, s, THOMAS y 2,524,858

INJECTION MOLD FOR PLASTIC MATERIALS Filed NOV. 3, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 27 BZTh/omas, V

@Mam/m Patented Oct. 10, 1950 UNITED .STATES rATsNr OFFICE (Granted under ,thel act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 6 Claims.

The present inventionI relates to injection molding of plastic material. More particularly the invention relates to apparatus for molding plastic materials by the center gating method wherein a grooved coneesl'iaped member intertted in a conical bore in the mold is provided, to disperse the plastic material to the center of each of a plurality of individual molding cavities formed within the mold. v

It has' heretofore been the practice in the-mule tiple molding of plastic materials to use either anarrangement of the so-cailed hot runner type mold or an arrangement using a free plate having a secondary sprueV between the runners and cavities.

In'the hot runnerprarrangement forthe molding of plastics the temperature of the runner bores must be closely controlled in order to en= sure the free flow of the plastic material there; through. Itis not an unusual condition, when gating of plastic materials in which imperfections are reduced to a great extent in the finished molded pieces produced therein,

Another object of the invention is to provide' a mold for center gating of plastic materials in inserts.

using this method, for the runner noreste be come clogged, by reason of temperature varia'- tions of the m'old or other causes. Such clogging usually necessitates the removal of lthe meid from the molding machine in order to cle-ar the runner bores, thusA necessitating a considerable delay in the operationof the mold.v

In the method 'using a free plate-,the molded pieces must be manually severed from` the secondaryzsprue before theprimary sprue 'and run-` ners can be removed from the mold, it being necessary frequently to remove the free plate to accomplish the foregoing operation; also been found particularly difcult, where-in# sets are used; to pla-oe the inserts in the cavities while the free plate is in position in the mold.

The apparatus of the present invention obviates the foregoing difficulties in mold operations by providing intertting male andfemale frus# tum-shaped runner guide members individual to complementary mold sections, the male member having 'runner grooves formed on the 'conii cal surface .thereof thereby to form the runner guides when the `frustum-shaped members are in mutually intertting relation in the assembled mold.4 When the present arrangement is used, the sprue, runners and the molded pieces may conveniently and integralli7 be removed from the mold in a single operation, it being necessary only to grasp the spru'e after the complementary guide members havebeen separated upon separationof the eomplementary mold sections.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved. mold for lcenter It has -A Stili further object is to provide a inclu for center gating of plastic materials in which cleaning ofthe disper'sing grooves is obvia-ted and-j therefore, a greater productive capacity is attained. v Y 1 Another object is to provide a new and improved mold for center gating of lplastic mate-f rals wherein the plastic material is dispersed from the collecting well to the molding cavities in an efcientm'anner and without requiring hot runners-V v A An additional object resides in the provision ofY a mold for 'center gating of plastic materials and comprised of separable members which may be withdrawn from ther charged mold thereby to free the sprue, runners and molded devices for removal therefrom as a unit..

A further object is to provide a new and imi proved mold for center gating of plastic material which is strong, durable and economical to man-1v ufacture.

Other objects and many of the attendant adi vantages of this invention will be readily ap: preciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig.y 1 is a horizontal sectional view of a mold for center gating of plastic materials in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the components thereof being in the molding position;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal detail sectional view illustrating the spring-urged pins employed to clear the insert cavities.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral I6 indicates generally a molding apparatus having a stationary portion II and a movable ejection portion I2. rlhe stationary portion II consists of plates I3, I4 and I5. The ejector por'- tion I2 consists of plates I6, I1 and I8 and spacers I9.

A sprue bushing 2| having a concave depression 22 at the upper end thereof and a tapered central bore 23 therethrough is centrally mounted in plate I3-.and has a reduced extension 24 extending through plate I4. The plate I5 has formed therein a frustum-shaped bore 25 in axial alignment with bore 23 of bushing 2I.

lA knockout bar 26 is mounted in a spa-ce between plates I1 and I8 provided by spacers I9 and has a, pin clamping plate 21 secured to the upper face thereof as by any Well known means, not shown. Clamping plate 21 has for-med therein a plurality of graduated step bores 28 to receive a plurality of headed p-ins 26, 36 and 3l.

Pin 3I passes through a central bore 32 in plate I1 and extends into a bore 33 of a flanged bushing 34. The flanged end of bushing 34 is mounted in graduated step bore 35 of plate I6 and extends in a direction toward plate I4, ending a short distance therefrom to define a dispersion well 36. Slidably arranged about bushing 34 is a male frustrum-shaped member 31 having a plurality of grooves 38 formed in the conical face thereof. The upper ends vof the grooves communicate with the dispersion well 36.

, The male frustum-shaped member 31 is nested snugly in frustum-shaped bore 25, as indicated in Fig. l, during the molding operation. The plurality of headed pins 30 extends from knockout bar 26, through clamping plate 21, through bores 39 and 4I in plates I1 and I6, respectively, and are threadedly engaged with male frustumshaped member 31 as at 42.

Each of the plurality of headed knockout pins 29 extends from knockout bar 26, through clamping plate 21, and is adapted to be moved through bores 43 and 44 in plates I1 and I6, respectively. A plurality of graduated-step molding cavities 45 is formed in plate I6, each cavity being in communication with one of the bores 44. The centers of cavities 45 are in alignment with the lower ends of grooves 38, each of the grooves having a restricted gate 48 at the lower end thereof. While in the present instance inserts 46 are provided for use in molding nished pieces 41, the molding cavities may be of such shape as to form finished pieces of any desired form with or without the use of inserts.

In order to supply plastic material to the bore 23 an injection mechanism of any well known type indicated generally at 49 is provided. The injector cylinder is indicated at I and is provided with a nozzle 52 which rests in the depression 22 and has a bore 53 in communication with bore 23.

Centering pins 54 are xedly mounted in the injector portion I2 of the molding apparatus and extend through bushings 55 in member I6 of the stationary portion II during the molding operation for the purpose of maintaining the portions II and I2 and associated parts in alignmen Stop pins 62 are positionedin bores 63 of plate I8 and act as stop means for knockout bar 26 when the bar is brought to the molding position prior to injecting the plastic material.

The movable portion I 2 is clamped to the movable platen 64 of the molding machine by means of clamping screws 65 and ears 66, while stationary portion II is clamped to the fixed platen 61 of the molding machine by clamping screws 68 and ears 69.

It is also understood that knockout bar 26 is operatively connected to the molding machine in any well known manner suicient to perform its function which is also well known to those skilled in the art to which the molding machine disclosed herein most closely appertains.

Each of a plurality of pins 1I is positioned in a bore 12 formed therefor in plate I1, one end of each of the pins normally contacting plate 21 while the mold is in the ejecting position of Fig. 2. The pins have heads 13 which contact the reductions 14 in bores 12 to limit the movement of the pins. Positioned between the heads of pins 1I and plate I6 in bores 12 are coil springs 15. The purpose of the aforementioned arrangement of pins 1I is to move the plate 21 and knockout bar 26 away from plate I1 independently of the movement of portion I2 thereby to move pins 29 out of the molding cavities 45 and thus clear the cavities for insertion of inserts at the start of each molding operation, it being understood that portion I2 is moved in accordance with conventional molding practice as a part of any suitable molding machine well known to the art and forming no part of the present invention.

The molding operation of the apparatus of the present invention may best be understood with particular reference to Fig. l wherein the condition of the mold is illustrated after the heated plastic material has been forced through nozzle 52 by the injector mechanism 49 into bore 23 of sprue bushing 2|, .thence to dispersionwell 36 and through runner grooves 38, through gates 48 to molding cavities 45.

When the plastic material has set, portions II and I2 are separatedas indicated in Fig. 2. As portion I2 moves away from portion I I, plate I1 rst moves to bring pins 1I into engagement With plate 21, frustum-shaped member 31 and inserts 51 retaining their initial positions by reason of being bonded to the molded material. Upon further movement of portion I2, plate 21 and knock-out bar 26 are moved by pins 1I and these members, in turn, operate through pins 30 and 3| to pull the sprue 56, runners 59, molded pieces 41, core member 31, and inserts 51 from stationary portion II, bushing 34 having been slideably moved within cone member 31 and plate I6 having been moved from the inserts upon initial movement of portion I2. Pin 3I is provided with a sprue locking finger 6I to form an interlocking connection with thesprue.

When knockout bar 26 reaches the position indicated in Fig. 2, pins 1I move into plate I1 upon further movement of portion I2, thereby to compress springs 15. Simultaneously therewith, pins 29 are forced through their respective bores in members I6 and I1 to forcibly eject any insert and molded material from the insert cavities which has not been removed in the manner set forth in the foregoing.

The molded pieces 41 with runners 59 and sprue 56 are removed as a unit by disengaging the sprue from the locking finger 6I and the runners from cone member 31 upon sufficient plished to effect the unitary removal of the in-A tegral molded mass.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above'teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specically described.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for molding plastic materials comprising, in combination, a stationary member having a frustum-shaped bore therein, said member -having sprue forming means for receiving a quantity of plastic material under pressure into said bore, a frustum-shaped member having longitudinal runnergrooves in the conical face thereof, said frustum-shaped member having intertting engagement with the conical wall of said frustum-shaped bore whereby the plastic material therein is constrained to flow along said grooves, a movable member for moving said frustum-shaped member into -interiitting relation with respect to said frustum-shaped bore, rsaid movable member having a plurality of molding cavities therein for receiving the plastic material from the runner grooves whereby molded pieces are formed within the cavities, said molded pieces being retained adjacent the stationary member as the movable member is withdrawn, and means operatively connected to the sprue andrendered effective when the movable member has been withdrawn a predetermined extent for withdrawing the molded pieces as a unit with the runners and spruefrom the stationary7 member.

2. Injection molding apparatus, comprisinga g fixed molding plate having a frustum-shaped bore and having associated therewith sprue forming means for injecting a quantity of heatedv plastic material into `said bore, a movable molding plate movable into face adjacency with said fixed molding plate and having a plurality of molding cavities therein, a frustum-shaped member operatively connected to said movable plate and movable into interfltting relation with respect to the conical wall of said frustum-shaped bore as the movable plate moves into face adjacency with the xed molding plate, said frustum-shaped member having a plurality of longitudinal grooves on the conical surface thereof for guiding the plastic material through said bore and into said molding cavities whereby finished plastic pieces are produced upon cooling and hardening of the plastic material, a knockout bar operatively connected to the sprue and to the frustum-shaped member and effectively` connected to the movable plate for movement therewith following a predetermined movement of the movable plate, and means including said knockout bar for rst withdrawing the hardened pieces from the molding cavities during said predetermined movement of themovable plate and subsequently thereto withdrawing the frustumshaped member from the frustum-shaped bore during movement of the knockout bar whereby the nished plastic pieces together with the Y 6 hardened material in the grooves may be removed as a unit from said molding plates.

3. An injection mold for plastic materials comprising, in combination, a stationary member having aligned axial and conical bores therein, a sprue bushing mounted invsaid axial bore in the stationary member and having a tapered bore therethrough for receiving a plastic molding material under pressure from an injection cylinder, said tapered bore communicating with said conical bore, a movable member having an open and a closed position, said movable member having a conical member mounted thereon and tting snugly within said conical bore when the movable member is in the closed position thereof and cooperatively forming with said bushing a dispersion well for the material at the reduced end of the conical bore, said conical member having a central bore and a plurality of longitudinal grooves-in the conical surface thereof and communicating with said dispersion well, said movable member having. a plurality of molding cavities therein communicating with said longitudinal grooves when the movable member is in the closed position thereof, the pieces molded in said cavities being retained in the molded position thereof by the runners formed in said grooves as the movable member moves away from said closed position thereof, a knockout bar mounted for movement with respect to said movable and stationary members and movable by the movable member from a rst to a second position after the movable member reaches an intermediate position during movement from said closed lto said open positions thereof, said knockout bar having ,a plurality of pins secured thereto, a first group of said plurality of pins being secured to said conical member for moving the same from the conical bore upon movement of the knockout bar as the movable member moves from the intermediate positions to the open position, one of said plurality of pins being disposed within said central bore and having a locking nger extended into said dispersion well, said locking finger having interiitting `engagement with the sprue formed in the sprue bushing whereby the sprue is severed from the injection cylinder and withdrawn from the bushing as the knockout bar moves, a second group of said plurality of pins being respectivelyin axial valignment with said molding cavities, and means effective as the movable member moves with respect to the knockout bar after the latter has moved to the second position thereof for moving said second group of pins into said cavities thereby to forcibly eject any molded material remaining therein.

4. An injection mold for plastic materials comprising, in combination, a frustum-shaped member lhaving a plurality of longitudinal grooves in the conical surface thereof, a xed member having a frustum-shaped' bore for receiving said frustum-shaped member thereinto interttingly therewith whereby plastic material forced into said bore is caused to flow through said grooves, a movable member having a plurality of molding cavities formed therein and communicating with said grooves respectively when the movable member is moved into face adjacency with said xed member, and a lost motion connection between said movable member and said frustum-shaped member whereby the pieces molded in said cavities are retained in their molded positions by runners formed integrally therewith in said grooves upon initial movement of the movable member away from the fixed member and the frustum-shaped member together with the molded pieces and runners are withdrawn from the fixed member upon further movementl of the movable member after said lost motion connection has become effective.

5. An injection mold for molding plastic materials comprising, in combination, a fixed member having a conical bore centrally disposed therein, said conical bore receiving plastic molding material under pressure from an injection cylinder, a movable member movable between an open and a closed position and having supported thereon a conical member having a plurality of runner grooves in the conical face thereof and snugly fitting within the conical bore of saidflxed member when the movable member is in the closed position, a plurality of molding cavities in said movable member having the centers thereof in communication with said runner grooves when the movable member is in said closed position, the material molded in said cavities being retained in the molding positions thereof by the runners formed integrally therewith in said grooves upon movement of the movable member away from said closed position thereof, pin means comprising a lost motion connection between said conical member and said movable member for withdrawing the conical member from said conical bore thereby to withdraw the molded material and the runners simultaneously therewith from said fixed member as the movable member is moved to the open position whereby the molded material and runners may be removed from the mold as a unit.`

6. Apparatus for the injection molding of plastic materials comprising, in combination, an injection mechanism having a nozzle provided with an orifice atvone end thereof and having means for forcing the plastic molding material through said orifice, a fixed member having a sprue bushing provided With a bore in axial alignment with said orifice and for receiving the material as it is forced through said orifice, said fixed member having a conical bore in axial alignment with said sprue bushing bore for receiving the material from the sprue bushing bore, a movable member, a conical member operatively connected to said movable member for limited movement vwith respect thereto and movable into registering engagement Within said conical bore when the movable member is moved into face adjacency .with said fixed member, said conical member and bore defining a dispersion well for the material at the reduced extremity of the conical bore, said conical member having a plurality of runner grooves in the conical face thereof for receiving the material from the dispersion well, said runner grooves having reduced gates at the lower ends thereof, said movable member having a plurality of molding cavities in axial alignment with said gates for receiving the material as it passes therefrom when the fixed and movable members are in face adjacency, a movable knockout bar connected to said movable member for limited movement thereby, a plurality of pins attached to said movable knockout bar and arranged for unitary movement therewith upon movement thereof, a first group of said pins for forcing any plastic material remaining in the molding cavities upon further movement of the movable member after said limited movement of said knockout bar, a second group of said pins secured to said conical member and to the knockout bar for movement therewith thereby to move the same with the runners and molded pieces of the set material from said xed member upon movement of the knockout bar by the movable member, said movable member upon initial movement thereof away from the fixed member being withdrawn from the molded pieces, and a single pin of said plurality of pins having a locking finger extending into said dispersion well thereby to be molded in interlocking relation with the sprue whereby the sprue, runners and the cavity molded material are removed as a unit from the fixed member upon said further movement of the movable member.

BERNARD S. THOMAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,837,452 Le May Dec. 22, 1931 1,997,074 Novotny Apr. 9, 1935 2,217,661 Anderson Oct. 15, 1940 2,445,405 Norris July 20, 1948 2,457,336 Wilson Dec. 28, 1948 

